It comes as little surprise Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman has endorsed City Council president Andrew Ginther in his bid for the city’s top job. As WOSU reports, the two elected leaders have worked closely during the years.

It comes as little surprise Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman has endorsed City Council president Andrew Ginther in his bid for the city’s top job. As WOSU reports, the two elected leaders have worked closely during the years.

“I believe he will carry on a momentum, and it will be his momentum,” Coleman said.

The 2009 budget crisis, education and public safety are a few of the issues Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said he and Ginther tackled at City Hall.

“You’ve been a mentor and a friend, and I look forward to a campaign that builds on your historic accomplishments,” Ginther added.

The mayor’s support is vital for Ginther’s campaign, both financially and politically, as he works to secure the spot where he will continue to advance the policies the two have developed.

Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott, who plans to run for the post, called himself a non-traditional candidate who’s focuses on winning the voters’ trust.

“I think it’s more important for me to focus on not like who is going to specifically endorse me, but more, am I going to get the endorsement and trust of the people.”

The candidate field could get crowded. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien has said he will make a decision by the first of the year whether to run for mayor. State Senator Jim Hughes also is a possible candidate.

When four term Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said he would not seek re-election next year it opened opportunity for others. Wednesday, The head of Columbus City Council, Andrew Ginther, says he wants to be mayor.

When four term Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said he would not seek re-election next year it opened opportunity for others. Wednesday, The head of Columbus City Council, Andrew Ginther, says he wants to be mayor.

“And today, because I love and believe in this community. I announce my candidacy for Mayor of Columbus.”

Ginther announced his candidacy flanked by extended family and neighborhood leaders at a northeast side Community Center.

“Today begins the next chapter in my life.”

39 year old Ginther was first elected to public office 13 years ago when he won a seat on the Columbus school board. He was appointed to city council in 2007 and later won election. Since then he’s worked closely with Mayor Coleman
and he cited some familiar priorities if elected.

“I think jobs, economic development, and making sure that we continue to provide and maintain excellent city services,” says Ginther.

Ginther is the second democrat so far to announce for mayor. And the jockeying for party favor has already begun. Ginther joins Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott in the race meaning there’s competition for a democratic party endorsement.

“We’ll let the democratic party sort that out and I feel confident in the leadership there that they’ll do what’s in the best interest of the party and I always will be focused on doing what’s in the best interest of the people of Columbus,” says Ginther.

The Columbus mayoral race will likely attract more candidates and that would set-up a non partisan primary in the spring with the top two finishers running in November.

Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott said, Wednesday, he will run for Mayor of Columbus next year.

The announcement comes one day after long-time Mayor Michael Coleman, 60, said he will not seek a fifth term after 16 years in the city’s top post.

“I commend Mayor Coleman on four productive and accomplished terms as our city’s longest serving Mayor”, Scott said. “Without question, Columbus is a great place to live, work, and raise a family, and I believe that we are poised for an even brighter future”.

“However, it is no secret that our neighborhoods face serious challenges in order to thrive in the years ahead,” Scott wrote in an email. “As the leader of the largest Sheriff’s office in the state, I have the executive experience and leadership skills needed to keep our families safe and bring new jobs to Columbus. Together, we can make our community even better.”

Scott declined to be interviewed, but he told WOSU News he will outline his agenda for the media next week.

The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered that a central Ohio sheriff be put back on the May primary ballot for a Democratic party committee post.

The court’s ruling Monday overturns the Franklin County elections board and a county appeals court that said Sheriff Zach Scott’s name shouldn’t be on the ballot for a state central committee post because of a question about one of the signatures on his nominating petition.

The Supreme Court justices agreed with Scott that it was “an abuse of discretion” to keep him off the ballot. Scott alleged that a political rift led to him being wrongly excluded.

The Franklin County Sheriffâ€™s Office plans to hire some new deputies after county commissioners approved using $1.4 million from the officeâ€™s contingency fund. But the sheriff and commissioners are still at odds over expanding the officeâ€™s budget.

The 40 new deputies are expected to fill vacant positions at county jails. The seven civilian jobs will work in radio communications, and officials say they should free up deputies for patrol shifts.

But Sheriff Zach Scott expects 50 more deputies to retire this year, and he said he needs about 80 more workers: deputies and civilians.

â€œWe have to get our staff up to where it needs to be, first of all,” Scott said. “And thatâ€™s going to be, like I said, weâ€™re expecting may 50 retire this year, so that wonâ€™t even come close to handling the 40 we just hired now to backfill the 50 thatâ€™s going to leave and 80 that left last year.â€

The sheriffâ€™s office recently hired about 35 deputies, but Scott said that still is not enough.

Commissioner president John Oâ€™Grady said he is not convinced expanding the staff is needed.

â€œIâ€™m not saying we canâ€™t replace folks who retire, that we canâ€™t replace current positions,” O’Grady said. “Itâ€™s the expansion of that budget that I am absolutely questioning.â€

Oâ€™Grady said the sheriffâ€™s budget has nearly doubled since the 9-11 terror attacks, from $49 million to $94 million.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/04/23/sheriffs-office-to-hire-40-deputies-sheriff-says-more-are-needed/feed/0Franklin County Commissioners,Franklin County Sheriff's Office,John O'Grady,zach scottFranklin County Commissioners, Monday, approved using nearly $1.4 million from the sheriff's contingency fund for 40 new deputies. Sheriff Zach Scott is pushing for even more hires.Franklin County Commissioners, Monday, approved using nearly $1.4 million from the sheriff's contingency fund for 40 new deputies. Sheriff Zach Scott is pushing for even more hires.WOSU Newsno1:11Franklin County Sheriff Recruits Jail Deputy Candidateshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/03/06/franklin-county-sheriff-recruits-jail-deputy-candidates/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/03/06/franklin-county-sheriff-recruits-jail-deputy-candidates/#commentsWed, 06 Mar 2013 21:25:21 +0000Tom Borgerdinghttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=45029

Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott today began recruitment of jail deputy applicants. But the recruitment efforts occur while the county commission studies jail staffing. The commission will meet later this month with a consultant it hired to study sheriff department management.

Franklin County Sheriff Zack Scott Wednesday began recruitment of jail deputy applicants. But the recruitment efforts occur while the county commission studies jail staffing. The commission will meet later this month with a consultant it hired to study sheriff department management.

County commission president John O’Grady says the sheriff’s budget this year is $94-million or about 30% percent of the general fund. Commissioners want to control jail staffing costs. They approved money to train 40 new deputies with the understanding that some would be hired at lower pay rates. Currently, the starting pay for a sheriff’s deputy is nearly $43,000 annually. But, O’Grady says any changes in pay scales for deputies will first have to be taken up in bargaining talks between the sheriff and the police union.

“Well, the sheriff’s department has to negotiate that with FOP. We then would ratify a contract but they would negotiate that with the FOP” says O’Grady.

Police say the man accused of voyeurism after authorities found hundreds of â€œpeeping tomâ€ style videos on his computer has committed suicide.

John Hayes was reportedly found dead by a co-worker yesterday. The 38-year-old was arrested Friday after authorities executing a child pornography search warrant say they found some 15,000 files on his computer, including videos of about 50 local women filmed through their bedroom windows.

Authorities say Hayes’ death ends the investigation of adult victims, but investigators will still look into whether there are any child victims.